Systems Qualification Engineer, Additive Manufacturing

Hadrian - Manufacturing the Future

Hadrian is building autonomous factories to reindustrialize America. By combining AI, advanced software, robotics, and full-stack manufacturing, we help aerospace and defense companies build rockets, satellites, aircraft, ships, and other mission-critical systems up to 10x faster and at significantly lower cost.

Following our $1.37B Series D at a $7.87B valuation, Hadrian is rapidly expanding our manufacturing footprint, launching new capabilities across welding, casting, forging, electronics, additive manufacturing, and more, while scaling our Factory-as-a-Service platform to transform how critical products are built.

Backed by leading investors including JPMorgan Chase, Valor Equity Partners, Andreessen Horowitz, Founders Fund, 137 Ventures, Lux Capital, T. Rowe Price, and Morgan Stanley, we’re building the future of American manufacturing—and looking for exceptional people to help make it happen.

If you’re ready to take on the most challenging and rewarding work of your career while helping create American manufacturing jobs for generations to come, you’re exactly who we’re looking for.

We're looking for a hands-on qualification engineer who can take additive manufacturing systems from installed equipment to qualified, production-released capability. The core of this role is IQ and OQ: authoring and executing the protocols that prove out our metal and polymer printers, qualifying the software and firmware toolchain that drives them, and building the qualification data packages our Army, Navy, and aerospace prime customers audit against. Performance qualification (PQ) sits with Materials & Process and Application Engineering — this role gives them a qualified machine and a defensible data baseline to build on. Based in Torrance, CA with travel to the sites where our machines land, including Red River Army Depot in Texas.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Qualification Execution and Ownership: Author, execute, and close out IQ and OQ protocols for all AM systems — metal powder bed fusion, polymer platforms, and supporting equipment — with documented traceability from installation through production release. Support Materials & Process and Application Engineering on PQ by supplying the qualified equipment baseline, protocol structure, and machine capability data their performance qualifications rest on. Own the qualification impact assessment for every engineering change.

• Commissioning, Factory Acceptance Test (FAT), and Site Acceptance Test (SAT): Execute the Hadrian FAT and SAT playbook for incoming AM equipment, adapting it to the conditions of each receiving site — from Torrance to government depot facilities — coordinating OEM field engineers and driving open items to resolution before production release.

• Software and Firmware Qualification: Qualify the AM software toolchain — build prep and slicing, simulation, machine firmware, data management — including version control, change management, and regression testing on every revision. Maintain configuration control across the fleet and partner with IT and Security on accreditation of networked machine controllers under NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC.

• Metal and Polymer Platform Qualification: Qualify both metal and polymer platforms, adapting protocols to the distinct subsystems, failure modes, environmental controls, and acceptance criteria each technology demands.

• Capability Studies and Statistical Rigor: Design and run machine capability and equivalence studies — build repeatability, machine-to-machine and layer-to-layer consistency, positional effects across the build plate, and Cpk analysis against drawing tolerances.

• Metrology System Qualification for AM: Qualify the metrology systems that generate acceptance evidence — CMMs, structured light and laser scanning, dimensional CT, surface texture. Own gauge R&R and MSA, calibration traceability, and equipment acceptance per ISO 10360. Establish datum and fixturing strategy for as-built AM surfaces and qualify scan-to-CAD comparison methods.

• Material and Feedstock Qualification: Partner with Materials & Process on powder and polymer lot acceptance, reuse and recycling controls, storage and handling per AMS7002, and witness coupon strategy. Support safe powder handling with EHS, including combustible dust (NFPA 484) and inert gas controls.

• Data Packages, Audits, and Customer Interface: Build and defend qualification data packages satisfying Army/TACOM and DLA source approval, US Navy, NIAR/NCAMP, AMS7032, ISO/ASTM 52920, and prime requirements — including first article testing and TDPs per MIL-STD-31000. Serve as qualification interface to depot and government stakeholders, DCMA, and Nadcap and prime auditors.

• Operator and Personnel Qualification: Define and maintain operator training, certification, and requalification records across Hadrian sites, meeting Nadcap AC7110/14 and customer audit expectations.

• Structured Problem-Solving and Corrective Action: Lead structured problem-solving on qualification failures and process escapes using 8D, 5 Whys, and fishbone, driving CAPA to verified closure.

• Cross-Functional Execution: Partner tightly with AM, Materials & Process, Manufacturing Engineering, Software, Quality, and Operations to keep protocols executable and scalable, feeding lessons learned from each deployment site back into the Hadrian qualification standard.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND SKILLS

• Direct experience qualifying metal AM equipment to AMS7032, ISO/ASTM TS 52930, ISO/ASTM 52920, or NIAR/NCAMP and US Navy AM requirements.

• Experience supporting PQ alongside materials, process, or application engineering teams.

• Experience measuring as-built additive surfaces and performing scan-to-CAD comparison.

• Defense depot, government-owned facility, or A&D production environment background; Nadcap AC7110/14 or AS9100 experience.

• Familiarity with government part qualification pathways — Army/TACOM or DLA source approval, first article testing, TDP development per MIL-STD-31000.

• Experience standing up qualification from scratch at a new site rather than inheriting a mature system.

COMPENSATION

For this role, the target salary range is $150,000 - $220,000 (actual range may vary based on experience).

This is the lowest to highest salary we reasonably and in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range, and the range may be modified in the future. An employee's pay position within the salary range will be based on several factors, including, but not limited to, relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, performance, and business or organizational needs.

Benefits for Full-time Employees

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans for employees
  401k

• Relocation support may be provided for certain situations, based on business need.

• Flexible vacation policy

• Equity

ITAR Requirements

To conform to U.S. Government export regulations, including the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) you must be a U.S. citizen or national, lawful permanent resident, protected individual as defined by 8 U.S.C. 1324b(a)(3), or eligible to obtain the required authorizations from the U.S. Department of State. Learn more about the ITAR here.

Use of AI in hiring

Hadrian uses AI-assisted tools in our recruiting and hiring processes to help our team work more efficiently. This may include tools that help organize and analyze recruiting data, as well as an AI-powered notetaker that can record and transcribe interviews and help coordinate feedback. These tools support our team and are not used to make hiring decisions. All candidate evaluations and hiring decisions are performed by humans. If an interview will be recorded, you will be notified in advance and may opt out at any time with no impact on your candidacy. Candidate data processed through these tools is subject to the same protections described in our Privacy Policy.

Consideration of Criminal History

Hadrian will consider for employment qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of all applicable laws. We do not ask about criminal history on our application, and we do not consider criminal history before making a conditional offer of employment.

Hadrian Is An Equal Opportunity Employer

Hadrian does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, gender, national origin/ethnicity, veteran status, disability status, age, sexual orientation, marital status, mental status, physical disability or any other legally protected status. When necessary, the Company also makes reasonable accommodations for disabled candidates and employees, including for candidates or employees who are disabled by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions.